Haywood County, North Carolina
Haywood County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 57,109. Its county seat and largest city is Waynesville . History The county was formed in 1808 from the western part of Buncombe County. It was named for John Haywood, State Treasurer of North Carolina from 1787 to 1827. In 1828 the western part of Haywood County became Macon County. In 1851 parts of Haywood County and Macon County were combined to form Jackson County. Popular culture Cold Mountain, located in southeast Haywood County within the Pisgah National Forest, was made famous by the novel ''Cold Mountain'' by Charles Frazier. A major motion picture based on the novel was distributed by Miramax Films in 2003. Law & Government Haywood County is a member of the regional Southwestern Commission council of governments. Haywood County contains a portion of the Qualla Boundary which is a tribal reservation for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Lands and people living within this reservation are subject mostly to tribal/federal laws rather than county or state laws. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.17%) is water. The Pigeon River originates in Haywood County. It is the only county in North Carolina that all water flows out while none flows in. Haywood County is situated amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains and contains parts of several major subranges of the Blue Ridge, namely the Great Smoky Mountains in the west and the Plott Balsams and Great Balsam Mountains in the south. Notable peaks in the county include Cold Mountain, at , Mount Sterling, at , and Richland Balsam, at in elevation. Mt. Guyot, the county's highest point at , is the 4th highest mountain east of the Mississippi River. Black Balsam Knob, in the Great Balsam Mountains in the southeastern section of the county, is the highest grassy bald in the entire Appalachian range. Haywood County is believed to be the highest county (by mean elevation) east of the Mississippi River, with a mean elevation of 3600 feet (1095m).http://cohp.org/records/mean_elevation/mean_elevations.html A portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in the northwestern section of the county, north of Maggie Valley. Along with several mountains rising to over in elevation, the Haywood area of the Smokies includes Cataloochee, which is home to a large campground and several historical structures dating to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Other protected areas include substantial sections of the Pisgah National Forest in the far northeastern and southern parts of the county. Townships The county is divided into fifteen townships: Beaverdam, Bethel, Cataloochee, Cecil, Clyde, Crabtree, Cruso, East Fork, Fines Creek, Iron Duff, Ivy Hill, Jonathan Creek, Pigeon, Waynesville, and White Oak. Cities & Towns *Canton *Clyde *Lake Junaluska (unincorporated) *Maggie Valley *Waynesville *West Canton (unincorporated) Adjacent counties *Cocke County, Tennessee - north *Madison County, North Carolina - northeast *Buncombe County, North Carolina - east *Henderson County, North Carolina - southeast *Transylvania County, North Carolina - south *Jackson County, North Carolina - southwest *Swain County, North Carolina - west *Sevier County, Tennessee - northwest National protected areas * Blue Ridge Parkway (part) * Great Smoky Mountains National Park (part) * Pisgah National Forest (part) Transportation Major Highways & Roads * Interstate 40 * U.S. Highway 19 * U.S. Highway 23 * U.S. Highway 74 * U.S. Highway 276 Railroads Norfolk Southern Railway operates a portion the Murphy Branch through Haywood County, providing a rail connection with the rest of the state/country. Norfolk Southern operates a small yard in Canton which directly serves Evergreen Packaging Paper Company and originates several local runs. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 54,033 people, 23,100 households, and 16,054 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile (38/km²). There were 28,640 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.85% White, 1.27% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 30.8% were of American, 12.9% English, 12.0% German, 10.4% Irish and 8.3% Scots-Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.1% spoke English and 1.9% Spanish as their first language. There were 23,100 households out of which 26.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.76. In the county the population was spread out with 20.80% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 27.10% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 92.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $33,922, and the median income for a family was $40,438. Males had a median income of $30,731 versus $21,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,554. About 8.10% of families and 11.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.40% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over. Tuscola-Pisgah Rivalry The two major high schools in the Haywood County Schools System, the Tuscola High School Mountaineers of Waynesville and Pisgah High School Black Bears of Canton participate in one of the fiercest high school rivalries in the state of North Carolina. The two high school football teams battle it out for the Haywood County Championship each fall, drawing up to 15,000 fans. Tuscola leads the series by 23-22-1 and currently winning against the Bears. References External links *Haywood County government official website *article in Travel America magazine *The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority website Category:Counties of North Carolina Category:Haywood County, North Carolina Category:Asheville metropolitan area Category:Established in 1808